Controlling photonic structures using optical forces

The use of optical forces to manipulate small particles, including living cells, is an established technique. Until now though, it has proved difficult to manipulate the optical response of photonic structures in a controllable manner; this is because such large forces are required to induce appreciable changes in the geometry of the structure. Now a team from Cornell University has fabricated a resonant photonic silicon nitride structure in which the optical response can be efficiently statically controlled using relatively weak attractive and repulsive optical forces. A static mechanical deformation of up to 12 nanometres in the structure's geometry can be induced with just one milliwatt of optical power, raising the prospect of micro-optomechanical systems with novel and distinct functionalities.